What is the primary role of hydrochloric acid in the stomach?

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Killing harmful microorganismsBalancing the acidity of chymeConverting pepsinogen into its active formTriggering the release of pancreatic enzymes

Explanation

Hydrochloric acid mainly functions to convert the inactive enzyme pepsinogen into pepsin, which is essential for protein digestion. While it also helps eliminate bacteria, its key role is enzyme activation.